A closer look at the Calgary Roughnecks opponent on Sunday, the Philadelphia WIngs

By Bryce Forbes | Published: 1/26/2013 at 12:28:20 AM

The Philadelphia Wings won’t buy into the “us against the world” mentality after pundits didn’t expect much from the longest tenured team in the NLL.

During preseason analysis, some experts thought Philadelphia would be fighting for the final playoff spot, instead of the first place spot they are in right now.

With the high number of Americans, who play more in the field version of lacrosse, wouldn’t be able to adapt playing in the confines of a hockey rink.

But that doesn’t mean a thing to Wings forward Drew Westerveldt.

“I don’t think we are too worried about what everyone else it talking about,” he said during the NLL conference call earlier this week.

Three Players to Watch:

Brandon Miller – Despite being one of the oldest starting goaltenders in the NLL, the 12-year veteran is still playing at the top of his game. Through two matchups, he’s the league leader with a 7.50 GAA and second in saves with 96. “He’s the backbone of the club and for the most part, it’ll be a challenge for us to get to him,” praised Roughnecks head coach Curt Malawsky, a former teammate of Miller.

Kevin Crowley – As the top pick of the 2011 NLL Entry Draft, the Stony Brook University grad has more than lived up to expectations. Last year, he sniped 36 goals and 35 assists to finish second on the Wings in scoring. The trading of his primary running mate Dan Dawson during training camp hasn’t slowed down Crowley, leading Philadelphia with seven goals and 10 points.

Jordan Hall – The 28-year-old transition star has battled injuries in the past, missing ten games the last three seasons and tore his ACL last year, but when he’s on the floor, he’s a force to be reckoned with. In his only game of this year, he managed one goal and added six helpers.